Traveling block velocity indicator, position indicator, and safety control



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' TRAVELING BLOCK VELOCITY INDICATOR. POSITION INDICATOR. AND SAFETY CONTROL Filed Aug. 13, 1948 -3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig 4 Sept. 7, 1954 Filed Aug. 13, 1948 Q Q QY w. STORM 2,688,249 TRAVELING BLOCK VELOCITY INDICATOR. POSITION INDICATOR, AND SAFETY CONTROL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwumvkw 7 Lynn n! Sform.

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Sept. 7, 1954 L. w. STORM 2,688,249 TRAVELING BLOCK VELOCITY INDICATOR. POSITION INDICATOR, AND SAFETY CONTROL Filed Aug. 13, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Lyn/'1 W. Storm ATTRNE VS gamm Patented Sept. 7, 1954 TRAVELING BLOCK VELOCITY INDICATOR,

POSITION INDICATOR, AND SAFETY CON- TROL Lynn W. Storm, Houston, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Warren Automatic Tool Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application August 13, 1948, Serial No. 44,128

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for indicating the position of the travelling block of a drilling rig at any instant; for recording the chronology of travelling block travel; for giving warning signals when the travelling block is at certain elevations; and for stopping the drawworks actuating the travelling block when the block is dangerously near the crown block.

well drilling with modern tall derricks, and "th what is known as the jack knife type ri qrick, which is in an inclined position, it is quite difiicult for the driller or rig operator' to judge the position of the travelling block in relation to the crown block. As a consequence many accidents have occurred as a result of the travelling block having been pulled up into the crown block. A reliable system has long been needed to indicate travelling block position at any instant and to warn the operator when the travelling block reaches a predetermined height. An automatic device which shuts the rig down when the travelling block gets dangerously close to the crown block has also been in great demand.

These features are adapted for combination with the provision of some signal which may be timed to occur at any desired position of the travelling block for the convenience of the driller in making trips so that he may, for example, be notified at the proper place and time to expect a full stand of pipe to be pulled above the rotary table as in making trips out of the hole. This feature is very valuable, for example, when flush joint drill pipe is used inasmuch as the points of union between sections of this type of pipe are quite difficult to observe so that an operator may easily lose count of the number of joints which have been raised in making trips. This variably positioned signal may be located, as another example, to notify the driller when to shut off the engines when raising the empty blocks occasioned by trips into the well.

The apparatus for fulfilling the needs hereinabove described is adapted for combination with an instrument which can provide a permanent single record of the complete drilling history of a well so that the time involved in making trips and the drilling rate for any period may be known. And fortuitously, the structures of such an instrument are adapted. for operation in a manner to constitute a distinct improvement over presently known drilling recorders.

These conventional drilling rate recorders are adapted to operate in conjunction with the travel of the Kelly joint or swivel, but since these tools are set aside during certain operations, as when making trips into and out of the well, such recorders must necessarily fail to include records of all phases of drilling operations- However, with the instrument of this invention used with the equipment hereinabove described, a complete history of travelling block movement is recorded. Such movement consequently includes records of operations, such as the making of trips, in addition to providing a record from which total penetration as well as the rate of penetration for any interval, may be computed.

With the foregoing in view the various objects of this invention are herein set forth.

It is an object of this invention to provide means associated with the travelling block of a drilling rig to indicate its position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide warning means for indicating to operating personnel the proximity of the travelling block to the crown block at the top of the rig.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide means for signalling the operator when the travelling block reaches any chosen position in the derrick.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means associated with travelling block indicating means for stopping the drawworks of the rig when the travelling block approaches the proximity of the crown block.

It is another object of this invention to provide means associated with the travelling block position indicating means to record chronologically the direction and extent of travelling block vertical travel.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a chronological recorder of this class for recording data from which total penetration and the rate of penetration may be calculated.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent when the specification is considered with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation in section of the travelling block indicating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along 22, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the travelling block indicating mechanism as viewed along line 4-4, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a drilling rig equipped with the device of this invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 6-6, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along line 11, of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a diagram of the warning circuit;

Fig. 9 is a diagram of the circuits for warning of travelling block proximity to crown block and for closing down the drawworks;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism for recording the chronology of travelling block movement;

Fig. 11 is an elevation taken along line l-| I, of Fig. 10.

Fig. 5 shows the conventional derrick I equipped with drawworks 2 and crown block 3 with a wire rope 4 reeved through the crown block to support the travelling block 5 and hook 6, the rope then being anchored to the derrick floor at I. A wire line I is fixed at H to the travelling block and is reeved through a pulley l2 at the top of the derrick and then terminates in a drum or reel in the instrument case l4.

As shown in Fig. 1 the drum l3 on which the line I8 is wound is mounted on shaft |5 which is supported within the instrument case l4 on bearings I6. l5 to mesh with gear [8 which is mounted on shaft l9 which is supported by bearings 20, also within the instrument case l4.

A drum 2| is mounted on shaft I9 and a line 22 is wound on this drum and is held in tension by weight 23 suspended from the hook 8 at the endof a line 22 which is shown extending through the instrument case mounting post 9 and below the derrick floor The gear 24 is fixed to the shaft I5 and meshes with pinion 25 mounted on shaft 26 which is supported by the bearing 21 within the instrument case and by the dial plate 29 which forms one end of the instrument case and which is integrally incorporated with the frame work thereof. A perforated disk 28 is mounted on the shaft 26 as is the pointer 30. Arms 3| and 39 are slid upon the shaft 26. Fig. 7 shows on arm 3| a switch trip whichis composed of a trigger 32 hinged upon a pin 33 which is supported by a bracket which constitutes an integral part of the arm. A torsion spring 34 is mounted on the pin 33 to normally press the trigger 32 against the back-plate H of the bracket I0, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 3 shows arm 3| mounted to force the trigger 32 against the switch 35, and the arm 38 mounted to force trigger 32 against the switch 40. The arms are adjustable with relation to each other, and with relation to travelling block position as each arm has a pin 31 mounted thereon which is enclosed in a housing 12 integrally fixed to the arm, the shank 13 of the pin being inserted through hole 14 in the arm and into one of the perforation holes of the perforated plate 28, and there being a spring 38 enclosed between the flange 11 of the pin 31 and the inner side 16 of the housing 12 to constantly urge the pin 31 into the holes 14 and 15.

An arm may be disengaged for shifting from one position to another on the plate 28 by manually grasping the head 18 of the pin 31 and pulling outwardly against the spring 38 to disengage the shank 13 with its contact with the hole 15.

As the travelling block 5 moves upwardly the plate 28 rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, and carries with it the arms 3| and 39. Springs 34 maintain the triggers in upright position and during rotation of plate 28 they travel into contact with the individual switch which they are designed to close. For instance, the switch 35 may be designed to close a circuit A pinion I1 is mounted on the shaft 3 which sounds an audible warning when a stand 75 of pipe has just been raised above the top of the well, and later the arm 39 and its trigger 32 may be set to close the switch 46 after further upward travel of the travelling block 5, and by doing so gives warning of the proximity of the travelling block 5 to the crown block 3. Upon lowering the travelling block the triggers 32 of the arms 3| and. 39 will be moved in a counter-clockwise direction, and in their descent they merely ride over the switches 35 and 40, without closing them, this being possible by the obvious constructions disclosed in Figs. 6 and 7.

The circuits for these switches are shown in Fig. 8 in which switch 35 is shown connected to actuate a bell or horn 36 of one tone and switch is shown connected to actuate a bell or horn 4| of a different tone. In this circuit a battery 19 is shown supplying the source of electrical power for these two devices.

Fig. 9 shows the device of Fig. 8 incorporated with a third switch 42. If this switch were shown in Fig. 3, it would be incorporated in a position intermediate switches 35 and 40 to be actuated by arm 39 as it rotates in a clockwise direction, and after it has first actuated switch 40 and the warning signal of this switch has failed or been ignored. This switch 42 is connected to operate a relay 43 which closes the rig power circuit 80 and energizes solenoid 44, which is adapted to actuate brake lever 45 to stop the drawworks 2.

It will be noted that switch 42 is of a different type than switches 35 and 40 which are of the normally open type. When switch 42 is closed by action of an emergency, then it remains closed until manually reset or opened. It is quite evident that switch 40 may be eliminated entirely and the warning signal replaced by the automatic braking or power shut-off feature. It will be further noted that an individual power source may be utilized as has been shown at 41 or the regular rig power source may be used for the entire electrical system-whichever may seem more convenient to the particular rig.

A method alternate to the method of shutting oif the drawworks by the solenoid 44 may be provided in the nature of the solenoid-actuated steam shut-off valve 46.

The recorder is shown contained in a case which is shown in Fig. 10 attached to the instrument case M. The recorder comprises a reel 5| mounted in the case 50 to carry a perforated strip chart 52 which is threaded over a back-plate 53 and then on to the chart drive sprocket 54. A conventional spring wound or motor driven clock 55 drives the chart drive sprocket 54 through the drive chain 56, which interconnects sprocket 51 of the clock and sprocket 58 on the shaft of the chart drive sprocket 54.

The chart 52 is marked by means of pen 58 which is attached to the arm 60 which is pivoted on stud 6| mounted on base plate 64. Uprights 63 on either inner corner of the base-plate 64 have springs 62 fixed thereto, and these springs are fixed at their opposite ends to post 65 which is an integral part of the pen arm 60 and which extends thereabove. These springs are so balanced in connection that they hold the pen 58 centrally of the chart 52. The pen arm 60 extends outside of the recorder 50 and into the instrument case l4.

An actuator 66 is mounted on the drum shaft l5 to rotate therewith, and this actuator has cams 67 thereon which are of a number and which are spaced to conform with a measurement of the line In and traveling block 5. In the disclosure of this invention such travel between two individual cams would indicate a travel of a distance of one foot of the traveling block.

As the drum l3 rotates the actuator 56 in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 11, which represents a downward motion of the travelling block, then the pen 59 moves to the right as the pen arm 60 rides up along the inclined surface 83 of a cam 61, as shown in Fig. 10. When the pen reaches the top fiat surface 85 of the cam 61, the pen 59 ceases moving to the right and remains stationary while the chart 52 continues to unwind from the reel 5|. Then as the pen arm 50 moves downwardly along the inclined cam surface 84, the pen 59 moves to the left and when the pen arm 60 again rides on the flat surface 86 of the actuation 66, the pen 59 remains stationary as the chart 52 continues unwinding to cause the pen 59 to leave a straight line centrally of the chart and coaxial of the longitudinal axis thereof.

When the travelling block moves upwardly the actuator 66 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 11, and the pen 59 moves to the left as it rides upwardly over each inclined cam surface 84.

The history recorded by the chart 52 in Fig. 11 could be interpreted as showing the travelling block being lowered at 90, as for instance to pick up the swivel and kelly from the derrick floor. Then at 9! the operation of raising the swivel and kelly for connection for further drilling is shown. The following section 92 of the charted history could represent a period when the drill string was rotated without drilling, as a period when the system in the well was being flushed out. The chart 52 indicates at 93 that actual drilling has been resumed and Fig. 11 shows a typical note on the chart stating drilling resumed at 5126 feet.

To determine the rate of drilling it is only necessary to count the number of peaks say from 95 to 96 wherein five such peaks are counted to indicate five feet ofdrilling penetration. Then when this penetration is divided by the time indicated from 95 to 96, which would be one hour in Fig. 11 should the chart distance between two lines thereon indicate 15 minutes, the drilling rate could then be computed as 5 feet per hour.

It is obvious that the depth of the well can be determined at any time by adding the most recent penetration charted to the total of previous penetrations, as indicated on the chart by the note 5139.

It is seen how a chart section may be torn off at the end of any desired period, as twentyfour hours, so that such may be included with the daily drilling report.

It can be seen that the method of charting hereinabove described is not the only method of use with the general theory of this invention. By only slight alterations of the cam arrangement and of the speed ratios described, it can be seen how a chart may be used which is calibrated so that with the pen 59 at the left edge of the paper the travelling block will be indicated at the derrick floor position. Then, as the block is raised, the pen will draw a line to the right across the chart, stopping at the maximum height at which the block travels, before indicating the lowering of the block. With such calibration the highest possible block position inclose proximity to the crown block would be at the extreme right-hand edge of the paper.

It can obviously be seen that the chart may be calibrated to record the number of feet of downward drilling travel for any time interval, as an hour, and that also with such calibration a complete record of trips, shut-down time, and other operations will be shown.

Broadly, this invention considers devices responsive to the vertical travel of the travelling block which indicate a complete history of travelling block elevations at all times, and in combination therewith devices which are designed to warn operating personnel when the travelling block may be at any crucial or operationally important elevation.

What is claimed is 1. For use with well drilling equipment, a traveling block travel and position indicating assembly including, a main shaft, a drum thereon, a line whose remote end is connected for travel with said traveling block and whose near end is connected to said drum, said drum being of a predetermined axial length and circumference to receive said line on the peripheral surface thereof, a countershaft separately mounted from said main shaft so that the imparting of vibration and other undesired forces between said countershaft and said drum and said main shaft is minimized, reduction gearin operatively connecting said shafts, a force applying means operating on said countershaft and through said gearing to oppose the paying off of the line from the drum and to facilitate its pay off at a uniform rate, and during take-up to rotate the drum to keep the line taut and to facilitate its winding up on the drum peripheral surface at a uniform rate, an indicating device driven from said countershaft, and a recording mechanism having a power takeoff drive from one of said shafts.

2. For use with well drilling equipment, a traveling block travel recording assembly including, a main shaft, a drum thereon, a line Whose remote end is connected for travel with said traveling block and whose near end is connected to said drum, said drum being of a predetermined axial length and circumference to receive said line on the peripheral surface thereof, a countershaft separately mounted from said main shaft so that the imparting of vibration and other undesired forces between said countershaft and said drum and said main shaft is minimized, reduction gearing operatively connecting said shafts, a force applying means operating on said countershaft and through said gearing to oppose the payin oif of the line from the drum and to facilitate its pay off at a uniform rate, and durin take-up to rotate the drum to keep the line taut and to facilitate its winding up on the drum peripheral surface at a uniform rate, and a recording mechanism having a power take-01f drive from one of said shafts.

3. For use with well drilling equipment, a traveling block travel and position indicating assembly including, a main shaft, a drum thereon, a line whose remote end is connected for travel with said traveling block and whose near end is connected to said drum, said drum being of a predetermined axial length and circumference to receive said line on the peripheral surface thereof, a countershaft separately mounted from said main shaft so that the imparting of vibration and other undesired forces between said countershaft and said drum and said main shaft is minimized, reduction gearing operatively connecting said shafts, a force applying means operating on said countershaft and through said gearing to 7 oppose the paying off of the line from the drum and to facilitate its pay 011' at a uniform rate, and during take-up to rotate the drum to keep the line taut and to facilitate its winding up on the drum peripheral surface at a uniform rate, an indicating device driven from said countershaft, a chart supported to be unreeled adjacent said main shaft and graduated longitudinally in time intervals, means for unreeling said chart at a rate corresponding to said graduations, chart marking means mounted adjacent said chart, resilient means adapted to normally hold said chart marking means at a predetermined axially extending reference line on said chart, andcam means on said main shaft adapted to deflect said chart marking means transversely of said chart and then to release said chart marking means to be returned to said reference line by said resilientmeans each time said traveling block moves vertically a predetermined distance, such movement of said chart marking means being in one direction from said reference line as said traveling block ascends and in the opposite direction from said reference line as said traveling block descends.

4. For use with well drilling equipment, a traveling block travel and recording assembly including, a main shaft, a drum thereon, a line whose remote end is connected for travel with said traveling block and whose near end is connected to said drum, said drum being of a predetermined axial length and circumference to receive said line on the peripheral surface thereof, a countershaft separately mounted from said main shaft so that the imparting of vibration and other undesired forces between said countershaft and -said drum and said main shaft is minimized,

reduction gearing operatively connecting said shafts, a force applying means operating on said countershaft and through said gearing to oppose the paying off of the line from the drum and to facilitate its pay off at a uniform rate, and during take-up to rotate the drum to keep the line taut and to facilitate its winding up on the drum peripheral surface at a uniform rate, a chart sup- 8 ported to be unreeled adjacent said main shaft and graduated longitudinally in time intervals, means for unreeling said chart at a rate corresponding to said graduations, chart marking means mounted adjacent said chart, resilient means adapted to normally hold said chart marking means at a predetermined axially extending reference line on said chart, and cam means on said main shaft adapted to deflect said chart marking means transversely of said chart and then to release said chart marking means to be returned to said reference line-by said resilient means each time said traveling block moves vertically a predetermined distance, such movement of said chart marking means being in one direction from said reference line as said traveling block ascends and in the opposite direction from said reference line as said traveling block descends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 665,821 Anderson Jan. 8, 1901 906,561 Reid Dec. 15,1908 1,961,037 Eaton May 29, 1934 2,085,135 Williams June 29, 1937 2,096,995 Mizell Oct. 26, 1937 2,166,212 Hayward July 18, 1939 2,265,022 Bendz Dec. 2, 1941 2,287,819 Nichols June 30, 1942 2,288,229 Dick June 30, 194 2,322,478 Sherbatskoy June 22, 1943 2,330,752 Sikes, Jr. Sept. 28, 1943 2,365,014 Silverman et al Dec. 12, 1944 2,565,951 Crookston et a1. Aug. 28, 1951 2,573,640 Connors Oct. 30, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 250,922 Great Britain Aug. 26, 19 6 125,831 Austria Dec. 10, 1931 

